"I just came and won the gold medal but he's been consistent" - Letsile Tebogo believes Noah Lyles 'changed the game' and is the face of athletics

Letsile Tebogo, the double Olympic medalist from Paris, praised Noah Lyles for transforming the sport of athletics and added that he himself had just won a gold medal. He said this during the Rome Diamond League pre-meeting press conference.

Tebogo made a splash during the Paris Olympics, becoming the first African runner to win a 200m Olympic gold. He outpaced Kenny Bednarek and Noah Lyles of the United States to stand atop the podium with a time of 19.46 seconds. Notably, the victory not only made Tebogo the fifth-fastest 200m sprinter in history but also earned Botswana its first Olympic gold.

Following the 200m finals, the 21-year-old prodigy participated in the 4x400m relay, where he helped his team secure a silver medal. The team fell a tenth of a second short of the American quartet to win another gold.

After a successful Paris Olympics campaign and victories at Lausanne and the Silesia Diamond Leagues, Letsile Tebogo is now set to participate in the Doha Diamond League on Friday, August 30. Ahead of the meet, the Kanye native attended the pre-meeting press conference on Thursday, where he was asked about being the face of athletics after becoming the Olympic champion. He said (via Wanda Diamond League's X handle):

"Even today I still not the face of athletics, so recent interview I said Noah [Lyles] changed the sport, which I believe he did. I haven't changed it; I just came in and won the gold medal; that's all that I did, but he's been there and consistent throughout the years."

"I think if I'm that consistent also, I'll see I can be the face of athletics, but when you talk, you'll see no, he won the Africa's first gold medal, but in reality, we know if there's somebody who could be there, it's still Noah," he added.

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Botswanan government honors Letsile Tebogo for securing the country's first Olympic gold

Wanda Diamond League meeting in Chorzow - Source: Getty

Letsile Tebogo was felicitated by his home nation for bringing glory to them at the Paris Olympics 2024. He was awarded a 4-bedroom house, 1 million Pula equivalent to $75,000 from a local organization, and an additional $3,600 for making it to the finals of 100m and 200m events.

In addition to that, the runner also recieved overall cash rewards amounting to $260,000. To cap off the celebrations, Botswana's president, Mokgweetsi Masisi, also declared a national holiday in the country to honor him.

"Tebogo was deserving of the nation to pause and celebrate him in a most unique, appropriate and responsible manner that will be etched in the annals of the history of the Republic" Mokgweetsi Masisi said in his statement. (as quoted by Reuters)

He also acknowledged the contributions of Letsile Tebogo's mother, who passed away in May.